Indiana State University Newsroom

Darwin Day speaker to discuss origin of bird species

The sixth edition of Indiana State University's Biology Speaker Series continues on Feb. 8, as Trevor Price from the University of Chicago will present his seminar on "The Origin of Bird Species."

The presentation is available for anyone to attend, and will take place at 4 p.m. in Room 12 of the Science Building.

Price is an expert in the speciation of birds, which will constitute the core of his presentation. He is currently studying how factors such as differences in ecology, song plumages and displays impact bird speciation. His studies are focused in large part on bird species located within India and the Himalayan Mountains.

"Darwin called the origin of new species on earth the ‘mystery of mysteries,'" Price said. "Using all kinds of new innovations from analysis of songs, to molecular biology we are getting close to solving that mystery. But there is a long way to go, and time is short as the species providing the clues get scarcer."

Price will also be presenting some background information about the famous scientist Charles Darwin, and how his thoughts about speciation have impacted research today. For more information about Price's research, visit his personal website www.home.uchicago.edu/~pricet/.

The next seminar in ISU's Biology Speaker Series takes place on Feb. 15, with John Maerz of the University of Georgia giving a presentation about how salamander ecology is impacted by a rapidly changing world. For more information and additional speakers, visit www.indstate.edu/darwin/ or call 812-237-2400.

The series is sponsored by First Year Programs, the College of Graduate and Professional Studies, Office of Diversity, Center for Public Service and Community Engagement, the University Honors Program, Lilly Endowment and St. Mary-of-the-Woods College.